Still on desert bighorns, this hunt is tough enough, but when you draw a permit in what is considered the worst unit in the state, the challenge grows exponentially. Despite that, contributor/subscriber J. Y. Jones says he lucked into an outfitter who put him onto one of the largest rams taken in this difficult-to-hunt unit in Nevada. He writes:

“For 25 years I’ve been trying to draw a Nevada desert bighorn sheep permit. It seemed such a long shot that I really did very little research into the best areas for big rams and good access, figuring a permit in any unit was like winning the lottery.

“Nevada has 13 units (or pairs of units) where they allow nonresidents to apply for a tag. Only one unit (268) offers two nonresident permits. This number may very well increase over the coming years, as the management program in Nevada is superb, and desert bighorns are up from a low of less than 3,000 to nearly 9,000. In fact, there are more wild sheep (including some Rocky Mountain and California bighorns, as well) in Nevada than in any other state except Alaska. Biologists believe the state can hold as many as 30,000 sheep in available habitat simply by continuing the highly effective management program now in place. With the pro-hunting mindset of the NDOW, this automatically translates into increased hunting opportunities for both residents and nonresidents.....